WFP LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN REGION COVID-19 Logistics
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WFP LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN REGION COVID-19 Logistics Situation Update #9 16 September 2020 Date 07 July 2020 Month YYYY 1. Highlights Constraints Hurricane Season (Source: National Hurricane Center) Atlantic: For the first time in history, 5 simultaneously active named storms have been recorded in the Atlantic Basin. • Hurricane Paulette (CAT 2): Paulette made landfall at Bermuda Islands as a category 1 hurricane on 14 September. It knocked out power lines in much of Bermuda but eventually appeared to have caused only limited damage even as swells reached as far as the east coast of the United States. Paulette dissipated over Eastern North Atlantic Ocean on 16 September. • Tropical Storm Rene: Rene dissipated over Central Atlantic about 1,685 kms northeast of Leeward Islands on 14 September. • Hurricane Sally (CAT 2): Sally made landfall at Mobile, Alabama on 16 September early morning as a category 2 hurricane. It is currently located over Alabama and it has weakened to a tropical storm with maximum wind speeds reaching to 111 km/h and it is moving north-east direction with 8 km/h ground speed. As a slow- moving storm, Sally brought life-threatening storm surge and flash flooding to Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Sally is expected to weaken to a tropical depression during last hours of 16 September. • Hurricane Teddy (CAT 2): Teddy is expected to strengthen to a category 3 major hurricane on early hours of 17 September. It is currently located at Tropical Central Atlantic Ocean and with winds reaching 195 km/h, it is moving north-westward with 24 km/h ground speed. If Teddy will sustain its current path, it will reach Bermuda Islands on 21 September and it will be the second hurricane to hit Bermuda within the same week. • Tropical Storm Vicky: Vicky is expected to weaken to a tropical depression on 16 September early evening hours. It is currently located at Tropical Eastern Atlantic Ocean and with winds reaching 101 km/h, it is moving west north-west direction with 16 km/h ground speed. • Tropical Disturbance 1 (Gulf of Mexico): An elongated area of low pressure over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Any development of this system should be slow to occur while | 1 WFP LAC COVID-19 Logistics Situation Update #9 16 September 2020 the low meanders over the southern Gulf of Mexico for the next several days. Eye formation chance through 2 days is projected as %90. This disturbance needs to be followed closely as it poses an active threat to our region. • Tropical Disturbance 2 (Tropical Eastern Atlantic Ocean): Showers and thunderstorms associated with an area of low pressure located a few hundred miles south-southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands have changed little during the past several hours. Environmental conditions are conducive for development of this system, however, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the next few days while the system moves generally westward at 10 to 15 mph. Eye formation chance through 5 days is projected as %50.This disturbance needs to be followed closely as it poses an active threat to our region. • Tropical Disturbance 3 (North Eastern Atlantic Ocean): A non-tropical area of low pressure is located over several hundred miles northeast of the Azores. This system is forecast to move south south-eastward during the next few days where it will encounter warmer oceanic temperatures, which could allow the low to gradually acquire some tropical or subtropical characteristics this week. Eye formation chance through 5 days is projected as %30. Eastern Pacific • Tropical Storm Karina: Karina is currently sustaining maximum 111 km/h wind speed and it is located hundreds of miles off the Pacific shore of Mexico and moving north-westward with 16 km/h ground speed. Karina is not posing any threat to land and it is expected to weaken to a tropical depression by 17 September. Earthquakes • Northern Chile: A magnitude 6.3 earthquake was recorded 83 km NNE of Tocopilla at a depth of 40.37 km on 11 September. No damage or injuries were reported, and no tsunami warnings was issued. • Guatemala: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake was recorded 31 km SW of Chimaltenango at a depth of 131 km on 14 September. No damage or injuries were reported, and no tsunami warnings was issued. • Peru: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake was recorded at Contralmirante Villar Province which is close to Ecuadorian border. The quake was recorded at a depth of 6 km on 15 September. No damage or injuries were reported, and no tsunami warnings was issued. Wildfires • Brazil: Brazilian State of Mato Grosso Do Sul has declared a state of emergency because the forest fires have reached at least 79 municipalities in the state, covering an area of 1.4 Million hectares. The emergency will last for 90 days as fire-fighting measures are underway. Lockdown Page | 2 WFP COVID-19 Logistics Situation Updates #9 . 16 September 2020 • Cuba: Given the complex epidemiological situation facing the west of the country, and especially Havana, it has been decided to implement from September 1st new restrictive measures to reinforce the physical isolation in the Cuban capital. Measures including curfew, expansion of remote working and strengthening controls will be in effect until 30 September. Air • In addition to Guatemala (18 September) and El Salvador (19 September), Colombia is also expected resume international passenger flights starting from 21 September. Peru plans to resume international passenger flights as of October. All countries that are reopening will be applying bio-security measures for international travellers. Failing to comply with the regulations might result with denial of entry to the country • Countries that have either extended current restrictions or postponed the re- opening of their airports for commercial passenger flights are as follows: o 18-21-23-26 September: Suriname (closed), Argentina (closed), Panama (restricted), Costa Rica (restricted) o 1 October: Cuba (restricted), Trinidad & Tobago (closed), Peru (closed), Bolivia (closed) o 6 October: Uruguay (restricted) o 12-14-18 October: Venezuela (closed), Belize (closed), Nicaragua (restricted) o 30 November: Honduras (restricted) o 12 December: Chile (Restricted) Services • Ecuador: The CO continues to sign SLAs with government and humanitarian partners to provide free-to-user services. • Haiti: The CO continues to provide on-demand logistics services to government and NGO partners. • The WFP Common Covid-19 Logistics Services continues to deliver critical response items to the LAC region, both directly to destination countries from the WFP hub in China and via WFP’s hub based in UNHRD Panama. • Cargo ex UNHRD Panama is mainly being shipped for WHO/PAHO and UNICEF and most shipments are taking place via commercial air freight, with the exception of a recent overland shipment to Nicaragua by road. • The WFP passenger flight schedule for humanitarian personnel is as follows from 15 September; o On Tuesdays: ▪ Mexico City (Toluca Airport) – Guatemala City – Tegucigalpa – San Salvador (After 17 September, this leg will be cancelled) – Panama City. ▪ Bogota – Panama City – Bogota. Page | 3 WFP COVID-19 Logistics Situation Updates #9 . 16 September 2020 o On Wednesdays: Panama City – Port-au-Prince – Caracas – Panama City. o On Thursdays: Panama City – San Salvador (After 17 September, this leg will be cancelled) - Tegucigalpa - Guatemala City – Mexico City (Toluca Airport). Bookings must be made as soon as possible through the Humanitarian Booking Hub and no later than 7 days before the flights. 2. Contacts John Myraunet Logistics Officer [email protected] Samuel Kealey Logistics Officer [email protected] Nafi Mert Kazmirci Logistics Officer [email protected] Page | 4 WFP COVID-19 Logistics Situation Updates #9 . 16 September 2020 .